Klein said the hearing pertained to an independent psychiatric evaluation that Payne and his attorney, Robert Champion, had requested.

Klein said there is no plea agreement in the case and Payne’s decision to enter a plea on Friday took prosecutors by surprise.

In addition to pleaded no contest to the two charges, Klein said Payne also pleaded guilty to being a second-time habitual offender, which could potentially enhance the maximum sentence Payne could face for assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder from 10 years to 15 years.

Aggravated domestic assault is punishable by a maximum sentence of one year in jail.

The charges against Payne stem from a March 28 incident at the Oshtemo Township apartment he shared with his girlfriend, Stephanie Janssen, who is the mother of Payne’s toddler daughter.

Payne knocked out four of Janssen’s front teeth and tore out chunks of her hair, according to a police report. Janssen, 33, was taken to Bronson Methodist Hospital and was in critical condition following the assault.

In August, Payne authored a letter that he sent to the Gazette from the Kalamazoo County Jail. In the letter, Payne said he has suffered for years from mental illness and contended that the criminal justice system was well aware of his issues but did nothing to give him the help that he needed.

According to court records, Payne had a history of volatile relationships dating back to 1998 and that mental illness may have played a role. But there are no indications from court records that Payne has ever been found criminally insane.

Payne, who is being held in the county jail on a $100,000 cash/surety bond, is scheduled to be back in court Dec. 2 for sentencing by Lipsey.

Rex Hall Jr. is a public safety reporter for the Kalamazoo Gazette. You can reach him at rhall2@mlive.com. Follow him on Twitter.